PruCan: WMD
by Muragaragah
Summary: Canada finds himself in the remains of a town that has been ravaged by fire, almost mortally wounded. He pleads for someone to save him as a familiar albino discovers him in the middle of what used to be a church. PruCan fluff Shounen-Ai, short chapters.
1. Prologue: Ember Explosion

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.<br>Enjoy!~_

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><p>PruCan: Weapons of Mass Destruction<p>

_Prologue: Ember Explosion._

The waning gibbous moon and infinitesimal stars had been staunched that night by the opaque charcoal smoke that trailed heavenward and coagulated into an impenetrable fog. Magnificent scarlet flames that had fully engulfed the miniscule town hours earlier were just now beginning to fizzle out, charring buildings and corpses of those that lacked the agility to flee. Choked sobs punctuated the tense air that reeked of ash and iron as a pair of bespectacled, azure-violet eyes that belonged to an adolescent surveyed the wreckage. He stood in the center of what had been a church, head tilted skyward to gaze into the face of a porcelain saint that remained unscarred by the wildfire. Her eternally stoic eyes seemed to stare into his very soul, offering no comfort or sympathy. "Did you foresee this, Saint?" the boy asked, desperation threaded through his tone, "Why didn't you send a messenger? A rainstorm, even? Anything would have helped…!"

His head dropped to his chest, blood-matted champagne hair tumbling forward to obscure his face as his shoulders trembled visibly, shaky hands balling into fists. Tepid tears ghosted down his cheeks, following the shimmery trails of those that had first christened his face following the deafening explosion that sparked the fire. His knees buckled and crashed against the tattered carpeted floor, unable to hold himself or the burdens of his country up any longer. "Saint, please send help… send someone. Anyone…."

As if on command, shallow footsteps broke the lethal air, transferring from crisp earth saturated with innocent blood to formidable, soot-stained hardwood flooring that used to ground the church's tiny lobby. They advanced forward, buffeted now by the surviving verdigris carpet of the main room, halting a few steps behind the boy as a steady hand reached out to prod his back. The blonde shot a glance behind his shoulder to find a pair of crimson eyes studying him. "Ameri—no, Canada?" the newcomer asked, noticing the curly strand that stuck up from the rest of the boy's slightly wavy hair.

"T-Take me away from here," Canada managed in reply, his quivering voice scratchy and thick.

For once the other man obliged without spouting some snarky comment, one arm coiling around Canada's narrow shoulders and the other hooking under his knees as he hoisted the wheat-haired country off of the floor. A hand flew to Canada's mouth as he descended into the throes of a coughing fit, tilting his head away from his rescuer; he could almost feel the capillaries burst in his trachea as the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. "Shit, you're bleeding bad," the other remarked as he broke into an all-out dash, clutching Canada close to his chest.

"I am?" Canada asked once he recovered from coughing, his periphery immediately tinting sepia, as if someone had changed the lenses on his glasses without him noticing.

"Yeah, your red hoodie concealed it until I noticed it just now on my jacket. We're gonna have to hurry." The wind whipped the other's choppy hair that mimicked the hue of untouched snow as he somehow pushed himself to run faster.

"I'm sure it's… not that bad. I can't even feel it..." Canada replied as the world around him began to spin at a sickening rate, huge black spots splattering across his vision like paint until he could no longer see, his indigo eyes fluttering shut not soon after.

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><p><em>To be continued.<em>


	2. The Waking Realm

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.<br>Enjoy!~_

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><p><em>The Waking Realm.<em>

The world appeared in a blur and muffled German as Canada stirred, gradually shifting into a sitting position with his back against the headboard of the bed that he occupied. A dull throb resonated in the small of his back and between his shoulder blades. Given a few minutes to fully wake up, he noticed immediately that he lacked his gasses. A hand flitted to his face, thumb and index finger tracing over the permanent oval indentions on either side of his nose. His hand returned to the bed as his gaze snapped to the closed door, alerted to the sound of its knob turning.

Prussia and Germany waltzed through the door, maintaining their Germanic conversation as their attention turned to Canada. "Good, you're awake! I was afraid that my awesome sprinting wouldn't be fast enough to save you for a minute," Prussia remarked, his trademark grin plastered to his face though his carmine eyes were unnaturally tight.

Canada stared dumbfounded at the two brothers—he had suddenly lost the ability to speak and form logical statements. His hands laced together as his head tipped back against the ivory headboard, a heavy sigh shuddering his broken frame. Germany shot Prussia a concerned look, one flaxen brow arching as his arms crossed in front of his chest. "That reminds me, where's Italy? Haven't seen him all day. Why don't you go and look for him, _bruder?"_ Prussia suggested as his brother nodded, promptly leaving the room to search for his Italian shadow.

Prussia crossed the space between the door and the bed, studying Canada's face for a moment: he appeared so fatigued yet calm, as if he silently bore the weight of the entire world on his shoulders. He poked the blonde's bare shoulder until Canada's head lifted away from the headboard, clear amethyst eyes tinged with cornflower locking with Prussia's intimidating rubies. "How do you feel?" the albino inquired, an unfamiliar gentle tone lilting in his voice.

"My back hurts near my shoulder blades and lower back… why does it hurt?" Canada wondered, futilely searching his brain for any semblance of an answer to his question.

Prussia inhaled sharply; he espied a childlike innocence in Canada's eyes that he hadn't seen since he raised Germany. "A bomb exploded on one of your towns. You were standing close enough to it that when it hit the ground and detonated, pieces of metal shrapnel from a nearby car pierced your back, easily shredding through the hoodie you wore." He perched on the edge of the bed while he explained, never breaking the eye contact between him and Canada.

"A bomb," Canada stated numbly: he knew that he should have at least some distant recollection of the event, yet his mind remained a dark, blank slate. "Who sent the bomb? Why me?"

"I don't know," Prussia replied, "all I know is that I'm glad you're still alive."

Canada nodded slowly. "Who found me?"

Prussia jabbed his chest with his thumb, tacking on a needless "I did."

"Thank you for saving me," Canada murmured, the purest sincerity glimmering in his violet irises as a feeble smile upturned his lips. "Even though I don't remember what happened, it sounds like I would've died if you hadn't been there."

An egotistical grin crossed Prussia's face, touching his eyes and completely eclipsing his serious countenance. "It was no problem! Kesesese~ That reminds me, are you hungry? You've been out for days."

Canada's eyes reflexively bulged at the mention of food, first and foremost, followed by the prospect of sleeping for days on end. His stomach audibly growled as if in reply; he squeaked and held his midsection as if to hide it, cheeks shading the same hue as berry sangria. Prussia chuckled and patted Canada's head. "Whatcha want to eat? I'll fix anything."

Something snapped inside Canada as the realization that _Prussia will leave to get food_ chilled the blood in his veins. Without a thought to consequence he threw his arms around the albino as inexplicable tears welled in his eyes. "D-Don't go, please," his soft voice shook, tone dripping with the swell of raw emotion that blossomed in his heart.

All of the muscles in his body rigidified as Prussia froze for a good few seconds before tucking a sinewy arm around Canada, taking caution to avoid the bandaged wounds on his back. The dire look of need that haunted Canada's eyes all but stole his breath away: never has anyone given him a look that could parallel the one that met his carnelian eyes in that moment. "Why don't you want me to go? You need to eat, and I'll be right back."

Canada shook his head swiftly, biting his bottom lip for composure's sake before he responded, "I just don't want to be l-left alone right now. Bad things happen when I'm alone… I-I need you now m-more than anything… Gilbert."

Prussia's expression broke at the utterance of his actual name. "Okay. I'm here and not going anywhere anytime soon, so relax. You'll heal better if you relax." He adjusted himself, scooting into the middle of the bed and propping his back against the headboard, hoisting Canada into his lap and folding both arms securely around the injured country.

_"Merci beaucoup,_ Gilbert…" Canada muttered as his cheek came to rest against the hollow of Prussia's shoulder; a mixture of comfort and fatigue engulfed him as his eyes fluttered shut, his heartbeat gradually slowing as he fell back into slumber.

"N-No problem, Mattie," Prussia responded in low tones, tucking Canada's head under his chin as his grip loosened on the waking realm, the shadow of a smile ghosting across his pale lips at the thought of a much-needed nap.

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><p><em>To be continued.<em>


	3. And There He Goes

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.<br>Enjoy!~_

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><p><em>And There He Goes.<em>

The faint tinkling of cutlery against ceramic bowls punctuated the redheaded Italian's words of waking as he cleared a spot on the nightstand to set the food-laden tray. "Time to get up, you two, it's dinnertime! Germany let me make pasta tonight!"

Canada deliberately sat up, wiping the fine grains of saffron sleep out of his eyes before turning his gaze upon Italy. "Thank you so much for cooking, and for bringing us food. I'll have to return the favor sometime."

A huge elated grin crossed Italy's face as his hand waved through the air, the curl that jutted out from the side of his head bouncing with every movement. "Don't worry about it! I'm really picky when it comes to food anyway. I just hope you like my cooking!"

A delicate smile twitched the corners of Canada's mouth. "I'm sure I will, thanks," he murmured as Italy handed him one of the thermal bowls on the tray.

"By the way, whenever Mister Lazy over there wakes up, tell him there's someone here to see him please!" Italy remarked before taking his leave of the room, no doubt scampering off into the depths of the house to join Germany.

Canada nodded, violet eyes trailing over to the window: cracked blinds shuttered the amber light of sunset that would have easily illuminated the whole of the room. _I've been out for a while._ He abandoned the window to glance over at the milky-haired country that dozed comfortably to his left, a hand reflexively rising to cup Prussia's cheek, fingertips gliding gently over smooth porcelain skin. With his ivory brow relaxed for once, a peaceful façade had its chance to overtake his pointed features. His hand snapped away as Prussia twitched before garnet eyes cracked open, leaning up on his elbow. "_Guten Morgen_," he muttered, glancing up into Canada's now rosy face.

"Good… morning? Though it's not morning yet. It's dinnertime, actually," Canada stated as he handed over the bowl of pasta in his lap to Prussia. "Italy said that someone's here to see you when he brought in the food a few minutes ago."

"Someone's… ah, _shit!_ I'll be back as soon as I can, I _really_ need to handle this! My brother and Italy are probably both in the living room if you want some company, okay?" Prussia instructed hurriedly, handing the bowl back to him and leaping off of the cushy bed.

Before Canada could respond Prussia had fled the room as if it had suddenly caught fire, tearing through the house to meet his company. _That was kinda weird._ The surprised blonde turned to the pasta that had been passed off, brandishing a fork and beginning to eat. _I'll have to ask him about it later… if he'll tell me, of course._

It took him no time to finish off the dish, placing the empty bowl back onto the tray as he maneuvered his legs off of the side of the bed, trying to stand without his back protesting. He glanced down, finding that the only things that covered his body were his ripped jeans from the night of the explosion and gauzy bandages that wrapped wholly around his midsection. A viridian, long-sleeved t-shirt sat in the only chair in the room, folded meticulously; he grasped it, shook it out and tugged it on, figuring that the owner of the shirt would hopefully forgive him later for wearing it without permission.

He left the room and ambled out to the front, finding it easier to walk after a few minutes. Four people stood in the room, all pairs of eyes flashing over to him as if he were an intruder the moment he crossed through the archway. Lavender-blue optics flickered to the increasingly interesting hardwood floor, chancing a glance after a few moments. A huge, alabaster country towered over him, his ash-blonde hair slightly obscuring the subzero amethyst eyes that bored holes into Canada. A broad, gloved hand reached out and found a perch on the top of Canada's head as his head cocked to the right, an odd smile breaking across his face and igniting an ethereal fire in his eyes. "Who are you? I've never seen you around before," he asked gently, superficial kindness masking his tone.

"I-I'm C-Canada," the citrine-haired country stammered as goosebumps rose on his arms, patterning his hidden apricot skin.

"He's staying with us for a few days," Germany interjected, narrowed iceberg eyes trained on Russia as he strode over and stopped to stand beside Canada.

"Why?" the unknown country wondered, his steady gaze never breaking contact with Canada's dappled eyes.

Germany lifted the other's hand from the top of Canada's head as he slid in-between the two, motioning for Canada to back up a few paces. "His house is undergoing renovations, and I have the space to accommodate him here. It doesn't concern you."

Prussia appeared from behind the hulking country, fisting a handful of the beige scarf that wrapped comfortably around his neck and tugging forcefully. "C'mon, don't we have to talk? That's why you're here."

"Ah, right," the other murmured, his smile vanishing instantly from his face. "Let's go, then."

The strange country's wisteria-hued eyes lingered on Canada's for a moment, the look evoking a feeling of _you're not supposed to be here_ before pivoting about-face to be led outside by Prussia, closing the door on his way out. The malicious gaze had frozen Canada to the spot until Italy shook his shoulders with care, concerned (and for once, half-opened) amber meeting his frightened violet. "Are you okay, Canna? You look like you just saw a ghost! It was only Russia!"

"R-Russia?" Canada mumbled, staring down at the redhead as if he spoke a different language.

"Yup!" Italy chirped, his eyes returning to their almost-closed state as he explained, "Russia's been around here a lot, actually! I think he's one of Prussia's new friends since they talk so much, but I'm not sure. He scares me sometimes so I try to stay out of his way."

"R-Right, thanks," Canada replied, turning away from Italy to face Germany. "Thank you for stepping between me and Russia. I think… I'm going to go lay down. Thanks once again for letting me stay here too. I'll try not to be a bother."

Germany shook his head as the ghost of a smile upturned his lips. "It's no problem. You're a friend of my brother's, so I don't mind lending my help."

A shaky smile fluttered across Canada's mouth as he turned toward the hallway from whence he came, returning to the guest room and gradually closing the door. He flopped down hard onto the fluffy bed as sinewy-fingered pain danced the length of his spinal cord, clutching a pillow within arm's reach and hugging it against his chest. His mind began to roam, searching for a plausible possibility as to why Prussia would fraternize with Russia. _It has nothing to do with me. Why am I so concerned about it?_ As if in reply, conjured mental snapshots of the albino surfaced in his mind: sunlight lighting the whitest streaks in his short hair as he stooped down to pick a fuzzy dandelion weed in an unfamiliar verdant field; captivating eyes that could have easily been mistaken for faceted garnet jewels staring aloofly out of a wide bay window; skin as pale as carved marble slipping between eggshell-colored, Egyptian cotton sheets….

Canada shook his head abruptly, attempting to dispel the forbidden thoughts that followed each figurative photograph. He shoved the pillow away from him, only to pick it up again and jam it over his head as the blood in his cheeks immediately boiled. _Shit. _That's_ why I'm so concerned… of course I'd end up liking him. Of-freaking-course. _A jolt of surprise bolted through Canada at the sound of the door opening and closing. He tossed the pillow away as his gaze shifted upward, eyes bulging at the condition of his visitor.

Prussia leaned against the closed door, his head tilted toward the floor as if trying to ensconce the Tyrian purple blemish that tainted the skin around his right eye. Something had ripped his jacket at the shoulders and arms: a new hole was forming nicely above the crown of his left shoulder. Canada hopped to his feet, ignoring the stabbing sensation radiating from his lower back as he advanced over to Prussia, one hand lifting up to the other's chin and prodding it slightly upward. "No. Not yet," Prussia uttered, his voice ragged and barely a whisper. "I came to check on you. I can't stay tonight, but I'll be back tomorrow. I know you have questions, but you'll have to wait. Think you'll be okay here without me for a few hours?"

"S-Sure, but… you need some ice, Gilbert. It'll help with the swelling," Canada remarked, tracing the outline of the blackened eye that remained visible to him.

Prussia gripped Canada's wrist and took his hand away from his face before straightening, his back moving off of the door. "I'll be okay, I heal fast. Be safe for me, don't leave the house, all that shit. By the way, Italy likes your company if you're looking for someone to talk to. See you tomorrow," he instructed, a slight smile upturning one side of his mouth into his typical confident smirk.

He discovered a set of arms curled around him as he turned, with Canada's chest resting against his back, his foreign heartbeat suffusing through Prussia's being. "Don't get hurt. I don't know what happened but I don't want it to happen again," Canada mumbled into his back, his arms tightening around Prussia's midsection.

The snowy-haired country patted the back of Canada's hand in a comforting gesture before he yanked the door open. "I'll try not to, ja? Don't worry about me, Mattie."

Reluctantly, Canada unfurled his arms from around Prussia as the Germanic country skittered through the door and out of the house, leaving the flavescent-haired boy standing in the doorway. _And there he goes._

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><p><em>To be continued.<em>


	4. Lacerations

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.<br>Enjoy!~_

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><p><em>Lacerations.<em>

Argentine light poured through the only quadrilateral window on the west-facing wall, casting the entire room in cobalt. Canada had sprawled out hours ago across the wide guest bed, his head dangling slightly off of the side as he gazed at the dappled heavens through the thin glass. Some emotion, be it concern or worry, wired him with energy: though he tried to sleep, he knew with certainty that he wouldn't be able to. His mind kept flashing to Prussia, wondering where he was and if he was alright. _I hope he's not hurt._

The meek blonde twitched violently as the cordless phone abruptly pierced the silence with its incessant, beeping ring. Canada sat up and snatched the handset out of its cradle, a smile immediately breaking across his face as he glanced at the caller ID, which read _The Awesome Me!_ He clicked the button lit by a viridian LED light and pressed the phone to his ear, keeping his voice lower than a whisper. "Prussia? Are you okay? Where are you?"

Labored breathing punctuated the albino's scratchy voice as he managed to reply, "Mattie, d-didn't I tell you not to worry? I'm… fine. I'm actually outside the house, can you meet me by the willow tree stump in the backyard? I need to… explain some things."

Canada nodded before he remembered he had to verbalize his response. "Sure, I'll be out in five minutes. You… you sound like you're in a lot of pain."

A faint chuckle met his ear. "I guess you could say that, but I deserve it. I'll explain more when I see you."

"A-Alright," Canada mumbled before the call terminated with a click.

The wheat-haired country hopped into action, sliding on his shoes and bounding through the house, whipping across the kitchen and out of the back door, softly tugging it shut behind him. It took him the span of a few seconds to pinpoint the Prussian that he had longed to see, doubled over and perched on the stump of the dead willow. His heart surged as he bolted over, apprehensively thumping double time in his chest. He fell to his knees in front of the milky-haired country, his periphery trailing upward to meet clouded ruby eyes. "Prussia… what happened to you? Where are you hurt?"

Prussia leaned into Canada until their foreheads kissed, alabaster meeting apricot as he spoke, gasping every few words. "I… There's something I need to tell you, Mattie. I've done wrong and now I'm paying for it. I was forced to do something that I'll always regret, and for that… I-I'm sorry. I was put up to it against my will by Russia… and now that I haven't exactly fulfilled my end of the bargain, he's out for blood. At least it's my blood… instead of my brother's, like he threatened… he told me that if I didn't do it, he'd kill Germany. I couldn't stand idly by and let that happen."

Canada deliberately reached out to grasp Prussia's upper arms: his eyes bulged once he realized that the albino's muscles trembled underneath his fingertips. "What exactly did you do that was wrong? You keep saying 'it,' but you haven't spared any tangible details. And you still haven't told me where you're hurt."

Prussia shook his head fiercely, his eyes visibly narrowing in what appeared to be controlled agony. "I can't tell you just yet. I think you'd definitely hate me for it. You'll find out sooner or later… but not right now. I can't risk losing you… not yet, not now…." His voice quavered in desperation as he lifted his head away from Canada's, a cry of pain ripping from his throat before his arms clenched his midsection.

Canada's breath turned sharp as he leapt to his feet without relinquishing his hold on Prussia, prying his arms open with unbelievable force to expose his torso. Thick, almost-obsidian blood coated the right side of his cerulean jacket and speckled his pants. He noticed that it had begun to pool against the stump, having saturated the other's clothes. "Tell me what happened to you. I'm going to get Germany, we need his help," Canada instructed quickly, releasing Prussia's arms to step to his left, looping an arm around his shoulders and knees and hoisting him off of the stump. "_Mon dieu,_ you've lost a lot of blood…."

Prussia let his head fall limp against Canada's chest, eyes closing as he forced himself to speak between white-hot stabs of pain, "This is all… Russia's handiwork. He beat the… shit out of me with that _verdammt_ pipe he… always carries around. At least I was able to… fight back a little. I managed to… punch him in the gut, and in those few moments… I escaped and made my way back here. He'll come for me soon… I know it. It's inevitable."

Canada kicked the back door open and trotted into the living room, cautiously laying Prussia against the battleship-like couch. He dashed over to Germany's closed door, banging noisily on the wood. "Germany, help!" he called before disappearing into the nearby bathroom, swiftly yanking a clean ivory washcloth out of the drawer underneath the sink and wetting it.

He returned to Prussia's side, unbuttoning his jacket and forcing it open as Germany appeared, traipsing over to the two. "What is the meaning of waking me up at four—" his complaint died in his throat as robin's egg eyes met Prussia's tortured scarlet. "What… what happened to you, _bruder?"_

Canada espied five deep gashes that blemished the perfect marble surface of Prussia's skin, gently pressing the damp washcloth to the novel wounds. A hiss resonated in the proud country's throat as he extended a hand toward his brother. "Russia happened to me."

"I thought you two were friends," Germany muttered, reflexive hatred threaded through his tone as he gripped his older brother's hand.

Prussia shook his head. "I had to tell you that, or else you would've thought something was going on between us. I'll tell you everything later, I promise. I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I had to do it. I had… no other choice…." He glanced away from Germany, unable to look him in the eye any longer.

Canada turned halfway toward the platinum blonde German standing behind him, holding the now-pink cloth against the lacerations adorning Prussia's side. "We need your help against Russia, Germany. He's going to come after Prussia soon at any cost, and right now we're both unfit to defend against him. I know it's not exactly my place to ask, but… can you lend us your aid against this new enemy?"

Germany nodded slowly, gaze shifting from his brother to Canada. "Of course. You didn't have to ask—I'll do just about anything for _mein bruder_, though now he has some explaining to do. If you'll excuse us for a few moments, Canada, we need to talk in private."

"Sure," Canada replied as Prussia's hand replaced his own on the washcloth. "Come get me when you guys are done, please?"

Germany nodded as Canada stalked off down the hallway, returning to the guest bedroom that had housed him for the past few days. He tried to distract himself from relentless, intruding thoughts that surfaced about the new situation, staring out of the window or searching the room for something to occupy his wandering mind. An abandoned book caught his eye, cracked open and lying upside-down in the seat of the one chair in the room. He gingerly plucked it from its perch, paging through the difficult text for what seemed like hours until three sure knocks sounded against the door before the knob turned.

Prussia loped inside, crumpling against the bed instantly and motioning for Canada to join him. Canada hopped up for a moment to close the door and to set the book back in the chair before crawling over to Prussia, carefully wrapping his arms around the injured albino; he noticed that the other traded his bloodied jacket for cotton bandages that furled around his ribs, concealing the thick slashes on his side. Prussia hooked an arm around the blonde as his lips grazed across Canada's forehead unexpectedly, automatically reddening the other's cheeks. "Danke for cleaning my wounds. I wish you didn't have to see them, but meh, that's okay. I'm sure you'll see a lot more of me than just those little scratches, kesese…" his chuckle sounded off and forlorn, absent of the triumphant luster that it usually evoked.

His words echoed in Canada's head as his face shaded from pink to beet red within seconds. "I-It was n-no problem," he stammered nervously, averting his gaze from Prussia.

A hand flitted up to the saffron-haired country's chin, tilting it upward to look Prussia full in the face. "I'm glad I found you in that church," he mused, an uncharacteristically gentle smile sweeping across his mouth. "I'm sorry to involve you in all of this. But I guess you were involved from the very beginning, ja? So it won't hurt to get a little more… _involved_, would it?"

Before Canada could respond Prussia leaned in close, pecking the tip of his nose before claiming his lips. The blonde's grip tightened ineluctably, all of his muscles rigidifying as the albino's tongue swiped wantonly across his bottom lip, slipping fluidly between slightly parted lips. He skirted Canada's teeth before lapping at the other's moist muscle, memorizing the velvety texture. Canada's tongue pushed fervently against Prussia's, a heavy blush blanketing his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. It felt like eons had passed before Prussia pulled away with a smirk, the fleeting taste of cinnamon lingering on Canada's tongue. "We should probably get some rest while we can. I have a feeling that tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

"R-Right," Canada breathed, shifting his lower body slightly away from Prussia, hoping against hope that the other wouldn't notice the expanded bulge in Canada's pants.

Prussia's chin found its perch on Canada's head, his arms constricting securely around the shorter country as his eyes fluttered shut. A wide smile traipsed across Canada's features as he buried his face into Prussia's bare chest, committing to memory the scent that seemed to waft from his companion's alabaster skin, something in-between soap and lemons. Contentment crashed over him, luring him into undeniable security as the familiar, fuzzy blackness of sleep fully enveloped him.

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><p><em>To be continued.<em>


	5. Intruder

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>Sorry the characters sleep so much. Cheap story progression tools FTW.<br>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.  
>Enjoy!~<em>

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><p><em>Intruder.<em>

An unearthly force slammed against the front door of Germany's house, sending quick tremors jolting through the plaster walls of the interior and promptly waking the inhabitants. Canada bolted upright in his bed, shaking Prussia's shoulder as he rolled out from underneath the covers, stumbling to his feet. Something heavy slammed against the hardwood floor of the foyer as Prussia snapped completely awake, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and pacing toward the door, pressing his ear to its heart. The staccato beat of booted footsteps advancing into the house wafted against his eardrum; he turned to Canada, his voice barely a whisper as he relayed what he heard. "I think there's someone in the house. Stay here."

Sinewy fingers wrapped around his wrist as Canada flew over to him, reluctance dancing in his violet eyes. "Don't go, please. I just got you back and you're going to put yourself in danger again? You're hurt… I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Gilbert!"

Prussia's narrowed rubies softened as he glanced into the blonde's face, a fissure of emotion channeling between the two when their gazes connected. "I have to keep everyone safe, especially you and my brother. I'll be fine, Mattie! I'm a nation, after all!" He leaned close, planting a firm kiss in the center of Canada's forehead before cracking the door and slipping stealthily away.

A menacing lump that felt like lead formed in the middle of Canada's throat as newborn tears prickled his eyes. _He's going to get hurt again if I don't do something._ Determination singed behind his usually calm irises as he followed Prussia out of the door, sidling along the wall until the strains of conversation met his ears.

"…know why I am here," an accented, vaguely-familiar voice stated, vehemence edging its masculine tone, "you failed to fulfill your end of the deal, Prussia, and you are going to pay for it. I do not barter with unreliable men… you knew this when you agreed to carry out my wishes."

"First of all, you forced me into that _verdammt_ deal," Prussia spat back; Canada could envision how his eyes would illuminate, as if they ignited with the intensity of crimson fire. "If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have made any sort of agreement with you at all! I did it to save my brother. He's my only family… I can't risk losing him. Kill me if you have to, shithead! Just leave my friends and family out of this!"

The intruder clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Such unkind words! I may just have to take your life after all… I did not plan on it, honestly." Footsteps shuffled against the floor, closing in on the hallway where Canada tried to conceal himself within a shadow that had pooled in the corner. "Who are you to make requests, when you couldn't hold up your end of the trade? What friends do you have, for that matter?... Unless you mean _that_ friend. The one who should have died days ago."

Canada forced himself to breathe in shallow gasps as his eyes rose from the floor to glance down the hallway, meeting the back of a towering, light-haired country. Recognition flipped like a switch in his head, combining the silhouette with the voice: _Russia. _Silence descended upon the room, adding a choking quality to the already electric air. "The fact that you have nothing to say means that I am right. Why do you care for him so much, Prussia? It makes no sense to me. You only first met him a few days ago, when I ordered you to detonate that bomb… at which you failed, but that is beside the point…. Is it really possible for one person to care for another as deeply as you do for him in the span of a few short days? What do you have to gain from this?"

A tense sigh buffeted Prussia's words. "I... I don't have anything to gain that you would consider valuable, and I honestly don't care. I found a friend in the wreckage that you created, and I'm going to hang onto that friend for as long as I can… even if it ends up costing me my life."

"Would you like to test that?"

The simple question instantly transformed Canada's tepid blood into ice, his pulse oscillating as if he had been unexpectedly pinched; tossing rational thought to the proverbial wind, he leant away from the wall and dashed straight down the hallway, colliding into the country that was easily a head taller than he was. "You're not… going to hurt him anymore!" his eloquent voice turned into a manic screech as he straddled Russia's back, attempting to pin the bulky country down by seizing his wrists.

Russia shook his head hastily, peering out of the corner of his eye in an effort to look at Canada. A cunning, childlike grin stretched across his face as he effortlessly flipped over, pressing the diminutive country into the floor. "Did you really think that you could stop me? You're truly a pathetic excuse for a nation, aren't you? … No matter. Let me ask you this instead: why do you care for the man who tried to kill you?"

Canada struggled against the weight and size of Russia, futilely attempting to squirm out from underneath the other as his hands unclenched frigid wrists. "H-He didn't try to kill me! He wouldn't do that to me… even if he detonated the bomb or whatever, it doesn't matter… especially since _you _were behind it. Let me ask you something: why did you want to kill me? What did I do to deserve that…?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that you did absolutely nothing to deserve it?" Russia pondered, hoisting himself a foot off of the ground to drop back down onto the saffron-haired country, his back muffling the excruciating crack and bloodcurdling scream that emitted from his victim.

Before Russia could turn his attention back to Prussia, the albino seized the front of his coat and yanked him off of Canada as Germany appeared by his brother's side as if from nowhere, nudging the other away. "I'll handle this one. You worry about Canada."

_"Danke, bruderlein," _Prussia muttered gratefully before circling Russia, careful to stay out of arm's reach as he scooped the curled-up Canada into his arms and fled the house, tracking over the front door that had tumbled off of its hinges from Russia's sudden arrival.

The Germanic nation jetted down the street until his legs felt as if they would buckle underneath him, reaching the place where the concrete morphed into a soft meadow adorned with a single maple tree. Dew had already formed on each blade of grass, glimmering in the first rays of early sunrise as the midnight sky tinged lavender. "Mattie!" he cried, examining the sweat-drenched face of the blonde in his arms before trailing down his body, searching for any sign of telltale bloodstains. "_Mein Gott,_ Mattie… you weren't supposed to get hurt! I was supposed to protect you… what cracked? Where's your pain?"

"It seems like a fair trade, me getting hurt for you since Russia injured you for my sake," Canada mumbled, an insubstantial smile trembling against his lips. "I think my left arm cracked. I can't really feel it. It really hurt when it cracked, but now it's pretty numb."

Prussia nodded, a hand flitting to Canada's arm as fastidious fingertips brushed across the surface hidden by the long-sleeved shirt that he wore. "We need to get you to a doctor. I'm not sure how bad it is, but I'm pretty sure it's at least broken."

Canada nodded, his functional right arm hooking around Prussia's neck and squeezing in an awkward embrace. "Thank you for helping me. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble."

Prussia's eyes bulged as bewilderment gamboled behind his carmine irises. "You didn't cause any trouble at all. Russia can be batshit insane sometimes, like now… I think he targeted you because of the size of your country, but eh, that's just conjecture."

Canada nodded, holding fast to Prussia's neck as he began to move again, taking long strides in the direction of the hospital. "Can you explain everything that happened back there? I only understood some of it, and it happened so fast. I feel like I don't have the whole story, you know? And I'd kinda like to know the truth of what happened since I came close to dying and all."

"You talk like it means nothing," Prussia remarked, readjusting his grip on Canada, "but anyway. Russia had managed to kidnap my brother one day and threatened to kill him if I didn't comply with his orders or whatever. Of course I put up a fight, but that only led to Russia beating the hell out of Germany with that godforsaken pipe, so in the end I decided that the best thing for me to do in that situation was to go along with what Russia wanted. He told me that he needed help in eliminating a 'possible threat,' and then he gave me instructions on how to set the course for a missile. I didn't think anything of it at the time, since I was concerned mainly for the welfare of Germany, so I followed his orders. Apparently I messed up somewhere down the line when I set the course for the bomb, which is a good thing in the end since it didn't kill you. I'm sorry it pretty much wiped out that town though…. I just hope you understand that my hands were tied in that scenario. Germany's my only blood family: I'll do anything for him, especially since I had to raise him."

Canada listened intently, his head finding a spot to rest against Prussia's shoulder, nodding often while the albino spoke. Repressed memories revealed themselves in the ocean of his mind, breaking the psychological wall that he had erected decades ago: a wheat-haired boy that looked almost exactly like him, except he had a straight piece of hair that stuck up defiantly instead of curly, dashing in front of him on the side of a hill, motioning for him to follow with an elated call, "come on, Mattie!" …playing games and coloring in the middle of a grand living room… curling up under the covers in a dark bedroom, the other boy huddling close to Canada and latching onto him because he had always feared the darkness….

His breathing turned sharp as reality engulfed him again; he glanced around, noticing that they were just now crossing the threshold into the emergency room lobby of the hospital. His gaze rose to Prussia's face, prodding the hollow at the base of his neck to gain his attention before he spoke, "I know how you felt about your brother. I had a brother a long time ago, but I ended up losing him… and now he doesn't acknowledge me unless I end up running into him (literally) or whatever. He doesn't remember our childhood, that he even had a brother, and it's painful. All that seems to matter to him is his ex-brother and former caretaker, England_…_ but that doesn't matter. Don't worry about the bomb, okay? That's said and done now."

Prussia nodded deliberately before a relieved grin broke across his face; he leaned down as his lips grazed against Canada's forehead. "Thank you, Mattie, and I'm sorry about your brother… if you need me to, I can kick some sense into him, kesese!~"

"You know, I might take you up on that someday," Canada murmured thoughtfully, a faint chuckle resonating in his throat.

A nurse led Prussia deeper into the emergency room, motioning to a vacant hospital cot and informing them that "the doctor will be in soon" before taking her leave to take care of the other emergency room attendees. "It might be awhile before the doc gets here. This hospital operates slow as hell. Go ahead and get some rest if you want, Mattie. I'll wake you up when it's time."

Canada nodded, leaning up to plant a kiss against the supple alabaster skin of Prussia's neck before settling comfortably into his arms, slipping his right arm around the albino's midsection. He found contentment in the hold as his eyes gradually closed, enfolded by the arms of slumber if for only an hour.

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><p><em>To be continued.<em>


	6. Epilogue: New Prussia

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hetalia. Copyrights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
>As always, reviews = love. They keep me writing.<br>Enjoy!~_

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><p><em>Epilogue: New Prussia<em>

"Gil…"

The snowy-haired country twitched as he began to stir from one of the deepest slumbers that had ever engulfed him, only to flip onto his other side and squeeze his eyes shut.

"Gil, wake up! We're going to miss our flight!"

Eyes that mimicked the same hue as raw garnet popped open as Prussia bolted into a sitting position, glaring at the citrine-haired nation that possessed the audacity to wake the awesomeness that was him. "What flight?" he grumbled almost incoherently, wiping away the drowsy blur that enchanted his periphery.

"First of all, don't give me that death glare of yours, and second, I'm talking about the flight to my house! I have to show you something, so get your ass out of bed and get dressed!" Frustration draped across Canada's barely distinguishable features in the dark room as he buttoned his shirt.

A groggy chuckle reverberated in Prussia's throat as he stumbled to his feet, ambling over to Canada with all of the grace of an inebriated elephant, his arms coiling around the shorter country from behind. "I'm surprised you actually cussed. You must really be angry now, ja?"

Leaving the top two buttons unfastened, Canada turned around in Prussia's embrace as his lips unexpectedly met the other's. "No, I'm not angry. It takes much more than that to make me mad."

"Good then!" Prussia grinned, stealing another kiss from Canada before he broke the hug, loping around and tossing on whatever clean clothes that he could find.

"I take it you're ready?" Canada inquired after a few quiet minutes, walking into his worn pair of onyx canvas sneakers.

"Yup, let's go," Prussia nodded, an arm sliding suavely around Canada's narrow shoulders as they vacated the guest room of Germany's house.

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><p>It took eight hours by plane and another hour by car to finally reach their destination. Canada jerked the rental car off of the smooth pavement of the main road, letting it roll over the bumpy terrain before parking it in the middle of an expansive field blanketed by summer-yellow grass. "It's just up ahead," the blonde remarked, snatching the keys out of the ignition and hopping out of the car, not bothering to lock the doors.<p>

He clutched Prussia's hand when they met in front of the compact car, towing the pallid nation up a steep hill. He halted for just a moment at the hill's zenith to point at the heart of the meadow below. A slab of what seemed to be the remains of a dark gray brick wall protruded from the middle; confusion adorned Prussia's features as they began to move again, trotting directly toward the wall. "Why's this one wall here?" Prussia wondered as Canada turned toward him, inexplicable tears shining against his jeweled violet irises. "Huh, what's wrong Mattie?"

It took a moment for Canada to answer, summoning what little composure that lingered to form coherent sentences. "S-Sorry. I knew that I was going to get emotional, but whatever… a town stood here six months ago, and now this brick wall is all that's left of it. It belonged to a church, actually."

"So why are we here if it's obviously painful for you?" Prussia wondered, scouring Canada's sunburst eyes for some sort of clue to his reasoning.

"You don't recognize it?"

That simple question was all it took for realization to slap Prussia in the face. His fingers laced through Canada's as he moved closer to the charcoal wall, his free hand reaching out to brush it, fingertips leaving a trail through the gray and unearthing the true burnt sienna hue of the bricks. "This is… this is the exact spot where I found you after the bomb hit."

Canada nodded deliberately, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand. "Yup. It's also a new area of my country. Instead of being shackled to the past, I decided to rename this part in order to embrace the future with open arms. This area is now New Prussia."

Prussia's eyes bulged as he backed away from the wall, turning toward the fragile Canadian. "That's… awesome. Really, it is. Thank you Mattie! …but why name it after me? Didn't I completely obliterate this area? Why would you want to remind yourself of that incident…?"

A tiny smile upturned the corners of Canada's mouth as he leaned toward Prussia, lips grazing fleetingly against his blanched cheek. "Your national name does not remind me of that incident, Gilbert. Instead, it reminds me of you: of your essence, your laugh, your silly comments… of the times that we've spent together. Even if we somehow grow apart, this area of my country will always serve as a positive reminder of you. That's why."

Prussia removed his hand from Canada's as he threw his arms around the country that he had grown to love, tilting his chin up just enough for him to look the albino full in the face. "_M-Merci…? Beau-coup?" _he struggled to pronounce the foreign words, a grin that could rival the Cheshire cat's breaking across his face as he leaned close to Canada, breathing in the combined scent of sun, snow, and maple syrup before overtaking his lips, his tongue boisterously pushing through and waltzing around the blonde's.

They stood like that for a long while until Canada pulled away, burying his fire-red face into the side of Prussia's neck. For once a hearty, unguarded laugh escaped Prussia as his arms tightened around Canada: he knew for certain, at that moment, that he had found one of the keys that would lead to his everlasting terrestrial happiness, even if a bloodstained missile strike had brought them together. "I love you Mattie," he breathed into the shell of Canada's ear before pecking the untouched cartilage.

Canada tilted his head up slightly, so that his reply wouldn't be muffled by Prussia's neck. "I love you too, Gilbert."

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><p><em>Fin.<em>


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